Baby, You're A Firework
by karatam
Summary: Brittany doesn't appreciate violence and Rachel sees a fellow lonely soul.


**Rating**: PG  
><strong>Pairin<strong>**g/Characters**: Brittany/Santana (Rachel/Santana friendship)  
><strong>Spoilers: <strong>up to 'Silly Love Songs'**  
><strong>**Word Length: **1400**  
>Summary<strong>: Brittany doesn't appreciate violence and Rachel sees a fellow lonely soul.  
><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: All characters belong to Fox and Ryan Murphy. No copyright infringement is intended and no profit is being made from this work of fiction.

/ / **  
><strong>

Brittany takes a deep breath, clenching her fists at her sides. She generally isn't one for confrontation, that is Santana's job, but right now she needs to step up. Or, she will once her hands stop shaking. Breadstix is public enough that she is reasonably sure she won't be killed.

Lauren is standing at the bathroom sink, looking for the world like she didn't just try to crush Brittany's best friend into tiny pieces.

It's go time.

"Lauren, I need to speak to you." Brittany says, proud her voice stayed completely steady.

Turning slowly, menacingly, Lauren looks Brittany up and down, assessing her and then dismissing her as no threat. "What do you want, Brittany?"

Another deep breath.

"I can't let you get away with beating up Santana. It's not fair." Brittany is biting the inside of her cheek, but no one needs to know that.

"And what are you going to do about it?" Lauren takes a step forward into Brittany's personal space. No one is allowed to do that except Santana. (And Artie, she adds in her head a few seconds later.)

"I'm not going to fight you. You're a champion wrestler, I'm not stupid," Brittany says, stepping back slightly.

Lauren's eyebrow rises, calling into question the last statement. Brittany can feel the anger starting and she doesn't like the feeling. Her skin gets hot and it feels like there is something in her throat, stopping her from saying anything, and there is a faint roaring sound in her ears (though that could be the janitor vacuuming in an empty room nearby).

"So what are you going to do?" Lauren says.

"Nothing, I don't like fighting. It's just that you don't know Santana, not at all. _I _know Santana, really well."

"I bet you do." Lauren is smirking.

Brittany ignores the comment and keeps talking. "She doesn't _actually_ want to date Puck or have any problem with _you_ dating Puck. She just hates the fact that nobody ever seems to pick her first." Her eyes drop to the ground, because she knows that she herself is guilty of choosing Santana second.

Lauren stays silent for a moment, seeming to consider Brittany's words. "I can understand that."

Perking up a little, Brittany glances upward at Lauren, who doesn't look as mad anymore. "She's not going to try anything with you or Puck anymore, Santana knows when to cut her losses." Brittany pauses for a moment. "Though she might try Sam next."

Lauren just laughs. "Of course she will. Brittany, it's been good talking to you, but now I want to leave." She turns away and starts walking to the door, leaving Brittany standing by the sink. Then she stops and turns to face Brittany again. "Have you ever noticed that she's less of a bitch when she has you around?" She raises her eyebrows meaningfully before opening the door and walking away.

Brittany stands there for a long moment, thinking, and then quickly makes her way to the door. She glances around the restaurant, but doesn't see her best friend anywhere. A quick exchange with Puck tells her that Santana has already left, and from the looks of it, with Rachel Berry. That in itself is worrying enough.

Heading to her table, she kisses Artie on the cheek, then grabs her purse and heads out to her car. She has a best friend to find.

It's go time.

/ /

When the Warblers wrap up their number, Rachel claps like mad, grinning at Kurt. He waves his hand at her and Mercedes, then blows them an exaggerated kiss. She giggles, then glances to her right and her laughter stops in her throat.

Santana is sitting alone at her table for two and she's the only one in the room not smiling. Her head is tilted down and her fingers are tearing apart a paper napkin absentmindedly.

She looks _lonely_ and that is something Rachel Berry understands well.

"Santana?" Rachel says hesitantly.

The girl's head snaps up, an undoubtedly acerbic comment on her lips, but she refrains from saying anything. A single eyebrow goes up, as if to say _yes?_

Rachel glances up at the makeshift stage where everyone is standing, congratulating the singers. "You want to get out of here?"

With eyebrows nearly at her hairline, Santana sounds rather amused when she says, "And why would I want to do that? With you?"

A blush rises on Rachel's cheeks as she realizes exactly who she's talking to. "I just thought that you might not want to watch Brittany with Artie and Noah with Lauren all night."

"You sure you don't just want to drop me off at the nearest strip bar?" There's a sneer on Santana's face, but Rachel can't help but notice that it's much less venomous than usual.

"I'm sorry I said that, it wasn't like me at all. Though it would be nice to hear you apologize every once in a while to us."

"Whatever." Santana glances away but jerks her eyes back to Rachel when they land on Brittany sitting in Artie's lap. Now she just wanted to throw up. Getting out of Breadstix with Rachel suddenly doesn't seem like the worst idea ever conceived. "Let's go."

"Really?" Rachel hadn't actually expected Santana to agree, but she stands up and grabs her purse and bag nonetheless. She pulls out her keys but Santana grabs her wrist, stopping her motion.

"We're taking my car. I am not going to be caught dead in whatever it is you drive," Santana says before walking to the door.

"Fair enough." Rachel tucks her keys back in her purse and follows Santana out.

The ride passes in silence, the radio playing softly in the background. Santana drives almost aimlessly, but they end up at a small park near her house. She throws the car into park and twists the keys.

Rachel peers out the window into the darkness, her breath making little patterns of fog on the windowpane. "Why are we here?" Rachel asks.

Santana stares straight ahead in silence for a few seconds before responding, "This is where we met."

"You and Brittany?"

"Yeah. We were six and she asked to borrow my skipping rope. We didn't spend more than a day apart after that." Santana grimaces and her hands tighten on the steering wheel. "Well, until lately, anyways."

"Because she's dating Artie?"

"She's dated other people before and not ignored me. It's something else." Santana glances at Rachel sharply. "If you tell anyone about this I will personally make your life a living hell, I hope you understand that."

Rachel gulps. "Perfectly. So what it is? Why is she ignoring you?" Everyone had noticed it in glee club. Brittany and Santana no longer always sat together, playing with each other's hair and linking their pinkies at every opportunity.

"Because I said 'no'. I was so fucking afraid of what people would say that I told her 'no'. Apparently that was the last straw." Santana swallows and wipes at her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Santana, are you gay?" Rachel asks hesitantly.

The silence that follows is oppressive.

Then Santana replies in almost a whisper, "Yes."

"You have nothing to be afraid of from me, Santana. After all, I have two gay dads and-"

The oncoming monologue is cut off by a strangled laugh coming from Santana. "I know, Rachel. And it's not you I'm scared of. It's the jocks and the Cheerios and my parents and random people I don't even know."

Rachel slowly reaches out a hand, resting it on top of Santana's softly. "We'll be there for you, for both of you. Especially me, I can promise you that."

Santana's eyes are watery when she looks over. "Thanks, Berry."

Suddenly the sound of another car coming down the sideroad interrupts them. Rachel twists in her seat, trying to get a good look at who it is. "Santana, it's Brittany's car."

Santana nearly stops breathing. "Oh."

Rachel squeezes the hand under hers before saying. "You can do this, okay? Because, baby, you're a firework."

"Berry?"

"Yeah?"

"No singing."

"Okay."

There's a knock on the window and Rachel lowers it to see Brittany standing there, fiddling with her keys. "Hey guys."

"Hello, Brittany. Would you mind if I wait in your car? I think the two of you need to talk." Rachel opens the door, waiting for Brittany to move out of the way. As she moves past, she pats the blonde on the shoulder. Quickly moving out of hearing range, she glances back to see Brittany climb into the car and shut the door.


End file.
